Targeted Overlay Pavement Solutions (TOPS)

Posted on January 1, 2021March 2, 2022

What is Targeted Overlay Pavement Solutions (TOPS)?

Solutions for integrating innovative overlay procedures into practices that can improve performance, lessen traffic impacts, and reduce the cost of pavement ownership.

Approximately half of all infrastructure dollars are invested in pavements, and more than half of that investment is in overlays. By enhancing overlay performance, state and local highway agencies can maximize this investment and help ensure safer, longer-lasting roadways for the traveling public.

Improved Pavements that Last Longer

Many of the pavements in the nation's highway system have reached or are approaching the end of their design life. These roadways still carry daily traffic that often far exceeds their initial design criteria. Overlays are now available for both asphalt and concrete pavements that enable agencies to provide long-life performance under a wide range of traffic, environmental, and existing pavement conditions.

Concrete overlays now benefit from performance-engineered mixtures, including thinner-bonded and unbonded overlays with fiber reinforcement, interlayer materials, and new design procedures that improve durability and performance. Asphalt overlay mixtures have also advanced significantly with the use of stone-matrix asphalt (SMA), polymer-modified asphalt (PMA), and other materials and agents that reduce rutting, increase cracking resistance, and extend pavement life.

Benefits

Safety. Thousands of miles of rural and urban pavements need structural enhancement and improved surface characteristics, such as smoothness, friction, and noise. Targeted overlay pavement solutions can improve the condition of highways significantly in a relatively short time.

Cost Savings. Timely and well-designed overlay applications are consistently cost-effective because less subsurface work is required. In urban areas, impacts to utilities and pedestrian facilities are minimized.

Performance. Targeting overlay solutions to high-maintenance areas such as intersections, bus lanes, ramps, and curved alignments can pay immediate dividends in terms of reduced maintenance needs, fewer work zones, and improved safety.

Learn more about this EDC-6 Innovation.

TOPS in NJ

Stage of Innovation:
DEVELOPMENT
(December 2021)

New Jersey has been a leader in Targeted Overlay Pavement Solutions (TOPS). The following activities occurred in under previous EDC rounds:

High-Performance Thin Overlay (HPTO). NJDOT incorporated HPTO into its standard specifications and has used it for the preservation of good pavement and as the surface course on some composite pavement overlays. HPTO is also used by the Structural Design unit for bridge deck overlay.

Crack Attenuating Mixture. NJDOT incorporated this into its standard specifications and has used it for the intermediate course on some composite pavement overlays followed by SMA surface course.

Stone Matrix Asphalt (SMA). NJDOT incorporated SMA into standard specifications and has used it for the surface course on high traffic pavement, for the surface course on some composite pavement overlays, and over top of BRIC mix as overlay of composite pavements.

Asphalt Rubber Gap-Graded (ARGG). NJDOT incorporated ARGG into its standard specifications and has used it for the surface and/or intermediate course on some composite pavement overlays.

Open-Graded Friction Course (OGFC). NJDOT incorporated OGFC into its standard specifications and has used it for full depth porous asphalt pavements in outside shoulders, parking lots, pathways, sidewalks and other low traffic pavements.

Ultra-Thin Bonded Wearing Course (UTBWC) / Ultra-Thin Friction Course (UTFC). NJDOT incorporated UTFC into its standard specifications and used it for preservation of good pavement and for the surface course on some resurfacing pavement overlays.

What’s Next?

The Department is working to pilot a demonstration of Ultra-HPTO / Highly Modified Asphalt (HiMA). It is also working with academic partners to develop a NJDOT Enhanced Friction Overlay (EFO) specification for lab testing and a potential pilot project.

Ultra High Performance Thin Overlay is included in one project (UPC 213090). Specification is finalized and the item number has been created.

Targeted Overlay Pavement Solutions (TOPS): NEW & NOTEWORTHY

Targeted Overlay Payment Solutions (TOPS): NJDOT Example Featured

The FHWA's EDC News Weekly Newsletter featured NJDOT's use of HPTO as a cost-effective pavement preservation tool. ...

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Dr. Thomas Bennert, who leads the Pavement Support Program (PSP), discussed how the group's research supports NJDOT's efforts to improve pavements across the state. ...

Pavement Preservation Treatments at NJDOT

This video features the work that the NJDOT Pavement and Drainage Management and Technology Unit is doing to advance Pavement Preservation treatments on state roads to increase ...

Paving the Way to Better Roads at Lower Costs

Pavement preservation is just one example among many of how NJDOT is committed to keeping New Jersey’s roadways in a state of good repair and ...

Quantifying Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Asphalt Pavement Preservation at Construction and Use Stages Using Life Cycle Assessment

A recent study found that pavement preservation techniques can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to savings for both transportation agencies and drivers. ...

UHPC for Bridge Preservation and Repair

Posted on January 1, 2021March 3, 2022

What is UHPC for Bridge Preservation and Repair?

Ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) is a new material for bridge construction that has become popular for field-cast connections between prefabricated bridge elements. Bridge preservation and repair (P&R) is an emerging and promising application for UHPC. UHPC-based repair solutions are robust, and offer superior strength, durability, and improved life-cycle cost over traditional methods. State and local agencies can deploy UHPC for bridge preservation and repair to maintain or improve bridge conditions.

Ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) offers enhanced durability and improved life-cycle cost performance for bridge preservation and repair.

Keeping bridges in a state of good repair is essential to keeping the transportation system operating efficiently. Agencies at all levels can deploy UHPC for bridge preservation and repair to maintain or improve bridge conditions cost effectively.

Stronger Repairs, Extended Service Life

Because of its strength and durability, UHPC can be an optimum solution for some repairs. UHPC can be used in situations that normally use conventional concrete or repair mortars, and in some cases those that use structural steel. Some UHPC mixes gain strength rapidly, so bridges could be opened to traffic 24 hours after completing the necessary repairs. Additionally, UHPC repairs are long lasting and resilient, requiring less maintenance and fewer follow-up repairs than conventional methods. In some cases, they can outlive and outperform their conventional counterparts—UHPC repairs could be the strongest and most durable part of the bridge.

Benefits

Versatility. UHPC can generally be used anywhere other types of concrete would be used, and due to its strength and durability, it can be the optimum material for many applications.

Durability. UHPC-based repairs are long-lasting and require less maintenance and fewer follow-up repairs.

Cost Savings. UHPC repairs can outlive and outperform their conventional counterparts, resulting in life-cycle cost savings. UHPC bridge deck overlays and link slabs can extend the service life of bridges well beyond that of traditional preservation and repair strategies.

Learn more about this EDC-6 Innovation.

UHPC for Bridge Preservation and Repair in NJ

Stage of Innovation:
DEVELOPMENT
(December 2021)

Using UHPC. NJDOT completed construction of two bridge preservation projects in 2020. The agency is currently gathering information on performance and usability from these two pilot projects, which include four bridges using UHPC overlay.

The Future of UHPC for Bridge Preservation & Repair (P&R). The agency anticipates incorporating UHPC for bridge preservation and repair in its new design manual, using data collected from the current pilots and will further investigate performance and examine life cycle costs. NJDOT will use these indicators to determine future usage and applicability with additional research through the Bridge Research Program.

Building Support. Communicating UHPC information related to bridge preservation and repair to stakeholders statewide is vital and will be pursued with support from NJDOT Local Aid at select events and gatherings with design engineers and, as appropriate, through the NJDOT Research Showcase or Tech Talk! events. Social media platforms will also be used to communicate UHPC information to a broad audience.

In this most recent reporting period:

NJDOT Hosted FHWA Workshop UHPC EDC-6 P&R
NJDOT participated in the international bridge conference with lessons learned presentation
NJDOT assisted local agencies with lessons learned
The testing program was initiated for establishing baseline of UHPC overlays constructed.
First UHPC link slab application was in the construction phase.

What’s Next?

In the next six-month period, it is anticipated that:

Performance baseline of UHPC overlays constructed will be established.
First NJDOT UHPC link slab will be constructed

A long-term program is being finalized that will include impact echo testing and shear wave tomography of the UHPC on bridge specimens. Also, potential research on UHPC using Fiber-Reinforced Polymers (FRP) with the NJDOT Bridge Resource Program is being considered. NJDOT is also collaborating with AASHTO to develop a UHPC course targeted to the construction industry.

UHPC for Bridge Preservation and Repair: NEW & NOTEWORTHY

UHPC Bridge Preservation and Repair – NJ Efforts Highlighted

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Project Bundling

Posted on January 1, 2021October 21, 2021

What is Project Bundling?

The U.S. transportation system is aging, with many States seeing an ever-increasing number of highways and bridges that need more immediate attention. As a result, system performance is reduced, leading to potentially adverse impacts to quality of life, mobility, travel time, freight movements, and emergency response times. Often the most pressing needs are on the local systems, as evidenced by bridges that are being posted for reduced loads.

Project bundling helps address this national issue. By awarding a single contract for several similar preservation, rehabilitation, or replacement projects, agencies can streamline design and construction, reduce costs, and effectively decrease transportation project backlogs.

This proven practice draws upon efficiencies found through project delivery streamlining, as well as benefits from alternative and traditional contracting methods. A bundled contract could cover a single county, district, or State, and it may be tiered to allow a combination of work types (design, preservation, rehabilitation, or complete replacement). Bundling design and construction contracts saves procurement time, leverages design expertise, and builds momentum toward keeping critical assets in a state of good repair.

Learn more about this EDC-5 Innovation.

NJ's Use of Project Bundling

Stage of Innovation:
INSTITUTIONALIZED

New Jersey implemented project bundling prior to the start of EDC-5:

Adopted Project Bundling Across NJDOT. Project bundling has been used in NJ for years as a way to save time in the procurement of designers and contractors, as well as to save money through economies of scale and reduced staff paperwork. It is incorporated into the Department's policies and procedures and most commonly referred to as batch solicitation.

Routinely Uses Project Bundling for the Delivery of Federally-Funded Capital Projects and State-Funded Maintenance Projects. NJDOT assesses projects and programs at the planning phase for their suitability for a project bundling approach for either design, construction, or both. Major programs that use project bundling include:

- Sign Structure Replacement Program
- ADA Compliance Program
- Maintenance Roadway Repair Contracts
- Statewide Guiderail Replacement

When possible, NJDOT looks to use project bundling on smaller projects as well to save time and money.

PROJECT BUNDLING: NEW & NOTEWORTHY

Project Bundling Webinar Series

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Project Bundling

Awarding a single contract for several preservation, rehabilitation, or replacement projects helps agencies reduce costs and achieve program goals. Project bundling offers a comprehensive and accelerated ...